Roller glider



Oct. 26 1926. w 1,604,643 R. E. HARLOWE ROLLER GLIDER Filed Feb. 19 1925 /n vembr' E. E Nor/owe by WMm-ww ,O/forneqs.

Patented Get. 26, 1926,

UNITED 1,604,643 Parser caries.

RAPHAEL E. HARLOWJE, L98 ANGELES; CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNQR OF ONE-HALF TO ALLAN T. BAKEB; OE GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

3 .1 33 LIP Application filed February 19, 1925. serial No. 10,312.

Tais invention relates to amusement devices or apparatus for athletic development and more particularly to a form of roller glider.

It is an object of this invention to provide a roller glider which may be secured to the feet in a manner similar to the application of roller skates, the roller glider having a plurality of rubber tired rollers in single alignment. The user may thus be put to the exercise ofv maintaining a balance such'as is necessary in ice skating; and the roller glider will find utility in a wide range of places such as on side-walks, streets or any floor having a substantially level surface.

An object of my invention is to have the central portion of the foot supported by a series of rollers, all substantially of the same height and in alinemcnt, giving a level run ning surface for the foot, so that there is no back and forward rocking motion, with the rollers at the toe and heel portions slightly elevated above the other rollers to facilitate turning on two rollers by rocking forward or backwards.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the roller glider.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of one of the rollers employed.

he details of construction and use of the invention are as follows:

A tongue shaped foot supporting member 1 is provided with a conventional heel rest 2 having a strap 3 adapted to engage the ankle of one using the roller glider, and a pair of clips 4 disposed at the forward end of the foot supporting member for the purpose of engaging the sole of a shoe. The foot supporting member is curved slightly upwardly at its forward end to conform to the natural curve of the ball of the sole, and is preferably made of a resilient or springy material to accommodate irregularities in the surface of the ground traversed.

A plurality of brackets 5 providing bearings for rollers 6 are riveted to the l'ower side of the foot supporting member by rivets 7 which are countersunk in the upper face of the foot supporting member.

Each of the brackets .5 is formed of a substantial strap of metal or any suitable mater al having a face 13 which fits against the lower side of the foot support and each end is bent slightly more than a right angle to form converging side walls 1% and which are'bentat their lower ends to resume a vertical parallel relationship and to provide 7 bearing supports 8 and 9;

A bearing 10 comprises a sleeve having annular ball races 11 and is securely mounted between the bearing supports 8 and 9 by a bolt 12 threaded at one end and tightened by a nut 16 so that the ends of the sleeve provide a spacer between the bearing supports 8 and 9.

A roller 20 is provided with a hub 21 having annular ball races 22 adapted to register with the ball races 11 and to retain the balls 23. The hub 21 is slightly less in width than the sleeve bearing 10 so that the roller may freely revolve within the bracket 5.

The periphery of the roller 20 is concave as at 2 1 and is thus adapted to the reception .of a rubber tire 25 whose tread may be either curved or flat. The rubber tire is preferably cemented in the concave rim 24. i

There may .be anynumber of rollers disposed in single alignment upon the foot sup port 1 and at the forward end of the foot support the bracket 5 will extend diagonally forwardly due to the curvature of the foot support and .the roller will thus be slightly elevated. The utility of this occurs especially when some obstacle or irregularity in the surface of the ground is encountered, or

when the person using the roller glider deand he may then propel himself'by shifting his body as in skating, The resiliency of the foot support 1 will permit the weight to be shifted forward to the ball of the foot lllll raisin the rear rollers from the surface or the weight may be shifted upon the heel and the forward rollers raised from the surface. It is obvious that a certain amount of practice in balancing upon the roller glider would be required before obtaining the full benefit and pleasure from the use of the clevice.

It is to be noted in my glider that normally the foot is supported on the four rollers underneath the central portion of the foot and that these are all in contact With the ground at the same time. This gives a straight support, running the glider in a straight line in much the same manner as flat bottomed ice skates, the toe and heel rollers being slightly elevated above the others to allow turns and quick maneuvering to be made by being slightly raised above the ground so that the lider merel has to tilt forwardly or backwardly to run on two rollers which allow qulck turns to be made. Various changes may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 7

l Vhat is claimed is:

A roller glider comprising in combination a foot supporting member, a plurality of brackets providing bearings for rollers each of said brackets being formed of a substantial strap of metal having a face which fits against the foot supporting member and bent slightly more than a right angle to form converging side walls which are bent at their lower ends to resume a vertical parallel relationship, the rear bracket having two sets of side walls, and rollers mounted in the brackets, there being four intermediate rollers on a level, a toe roller elevated above the level and a heel roller elevated above the level, and all the rollers being in a straight running line.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

R. E. HARLOVVE. 

